up Donard in an hour?

[LandyLiam]

my challenge this summer is the get to the summit of Donard in 1 hour   

I did a trial run today and managed it in 1hr 12mins, thats probably about 15% jogging and fast walking the rest with only a few very brief of stops of maybe 20 secs each (used the Glen River route via the saddle)

so i've a good idea where i can make up the time, especially if i take the correct route through Donard Forest  , is anyone else up for trying this, nothing like a bit of competition to spur me on 

and does anyone know the quickest way up? i think it might be via the black stairs but i've never gone that way before.

[alanrsv]

aye the quickest way is by the black stairs,or keep sligtly right but still on the rock,as long as you are competent at scrambling and not afraid of the exposure,you will beat the 1hour, as you gain height after the stairs keep to the left side of the boulder field

[LandyLiam]

is that a safe route when alone? i like to stick to the main routes in case of injury

[suspectmonkey]

I like the sound of Donard in an hour, good challenge   Great effort getting up in 1hr 12mins!  I'd love to tag along sometime but wouldn't be until July I'm afraid.  Kat would be a bit annoyed if I had to cancel our summer hols in June because I broke my ankle jogging up Donard

[LandyLiam]

Its the jogging down that worries me 

[twentyclicks]

Aye - i'll give it a go sometime. At least the route you did I know the way.... The black stairs does look more direct but you would need to know how to get over to that area and hope for a path up because deep heather is very slow no matter how direct.

Running down from the saddle is great and I'm confident enough there - it's the bit from the summit to the saddle I'd have to watch. Slippy track + proximity to granite wall = pain. Steep deep heather = hidden pain. If there is a trail down Black Stairs direction it might be more gradual and thus better for up & down.  We need info!

Stirling effort by the way: you're getting back into this rightly 

[suspectmonkey]

Its the jogging down that worries me 

But you only need to make it to the top in an hour... right?!

[Gerry]

Bloo** H**,

It took me over an hour to get to the wall from BB.

I think I will give this one a miss.

Good luck everyone.

Gerry

[LandyLiam]

this time last year i think it took me 2 hrs to get to the wall 

[whoRya]

1 hour 12 is some going I reckon.  I'm having a go at Donard in the morning and I mean morning.  I want to back home for about 10:45, and that's a hour+ from Donard.

Setting my alarm for 5:45am, why am I still on the computer?!  Nighty night.

[LandyLiam]

So what time are you starting, I might be tempted ! Although I'm in the pub at the moment rather worse for the wear, hic

[whoRya]

Sorry Liam, I logged off straight after that post.  I got to sleep about 12:15 but woke up for an hour between 2 and 3am, couldn't work out whether I was wise to still think about going.  When the alarm went off I hit the snooze once then dragged myself out of bed.  Four and half hours sleep!

I left Donard Park at 7am and was chuffed to hit the top 1 hour and 20 minutes later.  Didn't see another soul until the bottom of the steps up to the saddle, on my way back down.  Good way to blow the cobwebs out though.

[LandyLiam]

i had quite a bit to drink last last so was glad of my lie on till 11am this morning  i thought of going up this afternoon but donard looks very cloudy and its VERY windy out there.

[LandyLiam]

oh no, i'm getting slower not faster, took me 4hrs to get up donard yesterday  but i had 4 donard virgins in tow so was taking it easy, my legs still hurt a bit today though    doing it again tomorrow but with a load of kids this time, i know i'll end up carrying my 6 yr old so could be an even slower walk up!

[LennyJ1]

oh no, i'm getting slower not faster, took me 4hrs to get up donard yesterday  but i had 4 donard virgins in tow so was taking it easy, my legs still hurt a bit today though    doing it again tomorrow but with a load of kids this time, i know i'll end up carrying my 6 yr old so could be an even slower walk up!

Have fun tomorrow